Community Fundraising Gets Boost

Community Fundraising Gets Boost

The Rotary Clubs of Whanganui will get a fundraising boost each weekend from Whanganui UCOL’s offer of their carpark in Taupo Quay as additional parking for people visiting the popular River Traders Saturday markets.

Each Saturday morning, starting with the arrival of spring this weekend, visitors to the popular River Traders and Whanganui Farmers Markets can donate a gold coin to park right across the road on Taupo Quay in the Whanganui UCOL carpark, and at the same time help raise money for local charities. 

The carpark will be ‘manned’ by members of the Rotary Clubs of Wanganui, who will collect a gold coin donation.  The carpark will open at 9.00am, when the Markets begin.  It will function on a ‘first in’ basis, with no time limit on how long a motorist can park, until it closes at 1.00pm, when the Market wraps up. 

Jo Hayes, Whanganui UCOL’s newly appointed Director of Community Relations, is delighted that the community will benefit from the idea to open up the facilities at Whanganui UCOL to support the community.

“We are happy to help with this community based initiative. Our carpark is ideally located and I hope that members of the public get behind the opportunity. The idea of combining a local fundraising opportunity with the benefit of additional parking was suggested some time ago by market organisers during discussions about ways Whanganui UCOL could engage with the wider community.”

Both Wanganui District Council and UCOL have committed to following up the recommendations of the joint Taskforce that were generated from the ideas of community working groups. The overall aim is to support relevant community needs for tertiary education where sustainable and improve connections between the polytech and the community.

Mayor Annette Main, who chaired the Taskforce said “I am pleased to see Whanganui UCOL adopting this community driven idea, and that innovative ways of using existing assets for wider community benefit are being put into place as a result.”

ENDS

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